Cushioning mechanism for railway vehicles



Aug. 17, 1954 D. WILLISON cusmonmc MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1950 INVENTOR. DONALD W/L ISON ATTORNEY Aug..17, 1954 D. WILLISON CUSHIONING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES 5- Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed March 18 IN VEN TOR. DONALD W/ A ETAi BY 4 I ATTORNEY 7, 1954 D. WILLISON 2,686,602

cusmoumc MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES INVENTOR. q 9] BYDONALD W/LL/ 2/ l. 51% dm/ ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1954 WILLISON 2,686,602

CUSHIONING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed March 18, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 M Fa A:

- INVENTOR.

DONALD W7450N BY r ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1954 0. WILLISON 2,686,602

CUSHIONING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed March 18, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F1 9. //4 //2 I22 I24 INVENTOR. DONALD WILL 50M aum-W AITTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1954 CUSHIONING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Donald Willison, Warrensville Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 18, 1950, Serial No. 150,473

21 Claims. 1

My invention relates to railway draft rigging and more particularly to cushioning mechanism therefor, of the compensating type.

In copending patent application Serial Number 688,174 in the names of Hubert L. Spence and Donald Willison, now Patent No. 2,527,589, is disclosed a cushioning mechanism of the above mentioned type, so devised that it automatically compensates for inequalities in the length of the draft gear pocket in the railway car and of the yoke which surrounds the cushioning mechanism. This automatically eliminates all free slack which would otherwise be present.

Draft gear pockets and yokes are generally used in the as cast or as fabricated condition and are therefore subject to substantal tolerances as to length. Consequently the conventional draft gear may fit loosely in the pocket or in the yoke. This resulting free slack is particularly objectionable in passenger cars as it is a source of constant noise and contributes to the hard riding of the cars.

In order to compensate for wear or settling of parts, draft gears are assembled under initial compression or ore-loading of several thousand pounds. Therefore, a force greater than this initial compression must be exerted either in draft or buff before the cushioning mechanism functions to cushion the shocks which are applied to the coupler and yoke. The effects of this force of several thousand pounds are transmitted to the car and passengers every time the tractive effort or force upon the car coupler changes from buffing to pulling or from pulling to bufling.

In draft gears of the compensating type, the compensating cushioning units thereof react against the yoke in opposite directions, the yoke floating between the opposed units and thus completely eliminating the undesirable effects of initial compression. In a construction of this type one of the compensating cushioning units compresses under pulling load and expands under buffing load, while the other compensating unit operates in opposition to it. Interposed between these two compensating units is a main cushioning unit which is assembled between the front and rear stops of the draft gear pocket under initial compression greater than that under which the compensating units are assembled. This main cushioning unit is compressed both in draft and in buff, operating in series with one or the other of the compensating units Whenever the load on the draft gears exceeds the initial compression under which the main cushioning unit is assembled.

The present invention provides an improved cushioning mechanism of the compensating type which is of a more simplified construction than that of the above mentioned application.

The various features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the accompanying description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of a cushioning mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. l but showing the mechanism subjected to a draft force.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the mechanism under the same draft force as in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a graph illustrating the load-travel characteristics of the cushioning mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly in section, of modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 99 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view taken along line Iii-l0 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view taken along line HH of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 12 is a plan view partly in section of another modification of the invention.

Fig. 13 is an isometric view of the modification shown in Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the usual car sill construction at l-l, a draft gear pocket 3 having rear draft lugs or abutments 22 and front draft lugs lt, and a draft gear yoke 6 which may be of any conventional type. The coupler shank l is preferably connected to the yoke by means of an intermediate member 9 which allows for horizontal as well as vertical angling of the car coupler.

The central or main cushioning unit 8 is preferably made up of a series of compression pads Ill, each consisting of a metal plate to which a cushion of rubber has been cured. The surface of this rubber is corrugated, as I have found that a cushioning pad of that type combines very desirable compression qualities with a high degree of durability and sturdiness. Between these main cushioning pads, I have shown spacer plates l2, but the use of these is optional. They serve to stiffen the action of the rubber pads under high compressive loads and to relieve somewhat the stress in the bond between the rubber and the plate to which it is cured. The construction and functioning of these pads is more fully set forth and claimed in the copending patent application of Donald Willison and Hubert L. Spence, Serial No. 138,614, filed January i l, 1950.

Extending between each end of the cushioning unit 8 and the draft or buffing lugs 22 and =l--4, respectively, is a cushioning follower i l, box-like in general form with its open end facing toward the draft or bufi'ing lugs. The follower comprises side walls it, top wall 18, bottom wall 26, and end wall 22. Side walls it are provided with extensions 24 which are normally in contact with lugs 22 and l l. The end wall 22 of each cushioning follower has a face 23 adjacent the cushioning pads and extends the full width of the draft gear between the car sills, whereas side walls it are spaced inwardly of the outer edges of wall 22, thereby leaving a shoulder or flange 26 extending from top to bottom of each side of the follower. Shoulders 28 are used in connection with means for temporarily shortening the draft gear for easy assembly thereof into the yoke and the draft gear pocket.

Within box-like cushioning follower M is a series of compensating rubber pads 28, similar in design to the main cushioning pad id but of smaller size and of lesser capacity. These pads bear at one side against the inner face 3% of end wall 22 of the cushioning follower and at the other side against a compensating follower 32, one at each end of the draft gear. The compensating follower serves to close the open end of the follower Hi and is mounted so as to move relative to follower l4 longitudinally of the draft gear, thus compressing the compensating rubber pads 28. In the normal or neutral position of the draft gear, one of the compensating followers 32 bears directly against the rear abutment wall 34 of the yoke, while the compensating follower at the opposite end of the draft gear bears directly against the forward wall or abutment of the yoke or against the rear of the coupler shank, depending upon the type of yoke to be used. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this follower bears against end surface 35 of a follower block 38 carried in the forward end of 'the yoke. The yoke engaging face :39 of the compensating follower may be relieved over part of its area as at ii in order to lighten the casting, as its entire area may not be necessary for contact with the yoke or the coupler shank.

It will be observed that in Fig. l, which shows the type of draft gear pocket common to modern passenger car construction, the front and rear stop lugs, id and 22 respectively, extend inwardly toward the center line of the car an amount sufficient to overlap by a substantial amount the compensating followers 32. In the neutral position of the mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, followers 52 are spaced from the stop lugs as at 42 to allow for expansion of the compensating pads 25 during actuation of the mechanism.

In Figs. 6 and 'l, I have shown a modification of my compensating draft gear intended particularly for use with car couplers of the tight-lock or interlocking type in which the coupler is mounted on springs to allow it to angle vertically.

The coupler shank 44 in such an arrangement is pivoted directly to the yoke by vertical pivot pin 45 which allows for horizontal angling of the coupler. In this modification, the inner face 58 of end wall 50 of the cushioning follower 52 is cylindrically curved and is centered at the transverse center line of the draft gear. Between surface 48 and the compensating rubber pads 55 is a filler piece 56 having a cylindrical surface 58 complemented with surface 48 and in contact there with, and an outer flat surface 69 for engagement with said compensating rubber pads. lhe side walls 62 of the cushioning follower are recessed on their inner sides as at 6 to provide cylindrical abutment surfaces 68 which are concentric with surface 18. Compensating follower 68, which is interposed between rubber pads 55 and yoke abutments IE3 and i2, is formed with lateral projections it which are received in recesses 64 and are provided with cylindrical surfaces 76 which are complementary to surfaces 66. Surfaces 76 are spaced from surfaces 66 as at 78 for the neutral position of the mechanism, but are adapted to engage therewith to limit compression of pads 54. As in the previous embodiment, the compensating followers are spaced from the draft lugs 22 and il as at 80 to allow for expansion of pads 54 during actuation of the mechanism. This arrangement enables vertical angling of yoke 82, including compensating followers 68, pads 54 and filler pieces 55 about the central portion of the mechanism, the latter of which includes the cushioning pads 84 and cushioning followers 52. It will be apparent that cushioning pads 85 and followers 52 are held from rocking because of the tight engagement of these cushioning followers with the front and rear draf lugs, the pads being under a substantial amount of initial compression upon assembly in the draft gear pocket.

In this modification, I have shown yoke 32 resting upon a yoke carrier which is arranged so as to rock with the yoke as the latter is angled vertically. As seen in Figs. 9 and ll, carrier member 90 terminates at each end in a half round trunnion 92 which is mounted for limited rocking motion in a carrier support 96 which is secured to sill flange 96. Between carrier supports 94 and sill flanges 96, as shown in Fig. 9, are the draft gear carrier strips 98 which extend the length of the draft gear pocket and serve to support the draft gear independently of the yoke. The central portion of carrier member 90 is provided with a concavely curved support surface "30 which engages a correspondingly curved surface |02 on the underside of the yoke to permit rocking of the yoke about its longitudinal center line.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that I provide openings I64 and I06 through the cushioning followers and the compensating followers, respectively, these openings being in alignment with one another when the compensating follower has compressed the compensating rubber pads an amount corresponding approximately with their assembled height when installed in the car. Temporary assembly pins may be inserted through these openings to hold the compensating units assembled during the application of the draft gear to the yoke.

The above mentioned assembly means for the compensating unit and the clamping flanges 26 26, on each side of the cushioning unit allow the use of assembly clamps by means of which the draft gear is held to a predetermined length to assure its easy assembly into the yoke and its subsequent application into the draft gear pocket. Any suitable clamp such as shown in dot-dash at I 08 in Fig. 2 may be used to maintain cushioning unit 8 compressed during the assembly process.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the compensating follower I I 0 is provided at its corners with lateral extensions II2 which straddle the draft lug engaging extensions I I4 of the cushioning followers H6. The outer faces I I8 of extensions I I2 are cut back or offset from the plane of the yoke or shankengaging face I20 of the compensating follower so that in the neutral or released position of the draft gear these extensions stand away from the front and rear draft lugs by a small amount (preferably about inch), as shown at I22 in Fig. 12. Extensions I I2 in addition to serving to engage the stop lugs of the draft gear pocket to limit expansion of the compensating cushioning pads also serve to guide as well as support compensating follower H0 with respect to cushioning follower II 6. This construction is to be preferred where the front or rear draft lugs are of lesser lateral extent than those shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Thus in Fig. 12, the front stop lugs I24 are of insufficient lateral extent tooverlap the body portion I20 of the compensating follower. Fig. 12 illustrates a typical freight car or caboose construction with the coupler shank keyed to the yoke and having its end surface I28 in engagement with surface I20 on the compensating follower.

When compressed to its normal assembled length, each compensating unit in the various forms of the invention illustrated, is under a compressive load of about 7,500 pounds. The main or central cushioning unit, when compressed to its normal assembled length is under a load of about 25,000 pounds. This 25,000 pound load reacts partly directly against the front and rear draft lugs of the draft gear pocket and partly (to the extent of 7,500 pounds) against both ends of the yoke through the compensating units. It will thus be seen that the draft gear is held tight in the draft gear pocket and also inthe yoke, regardless of the ordinary length variations to which these parts are subject. The yoke assumes a position where the compression on the front compensating unit balances that on the rear compensating unit and even a very slight pulling or bufling force on the yoke will cause it to move, one of the compensating units expanding while the other compresses.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown the draft gear partially compressed under a pulling load. The rear abutment wall 34 of the yoke transmits this: pulling load tothe rear compensating follower 32 causing it to compress the compensating rubber pads 28. At the same time, as the yoke and coupler move forward, the forward compensating unit expands until its follower 32 takes up the clearance at 42 (Fig. 1) and comes into contact with the front stop lugs 4-4, which precludes further expansion of this unit. As the pulling load increases and the rear cushioning unit compresses, its resistance correspondingly increases and when it equals the initial compression on the central cushioning unit 8-, the latter unit starts to compress in series with the compensating unit. As central unit 8 is compressed, extensions 24 of rear cushioning follower I6 leave contact with the rear stop lugs 2-2 as shown at I29 in Fig. 3. Further increase in the pulling load causes the compensating and cushioning units to continue to compress in series until rear compensating follower 32 comes into direct contact with the cushioning follower. In this connection it will be noted that follower 32 is provided with abutment portions I30 which are adapted to engage end surfaces I32 on top 4 units alone are working. At the end of that range their resistance equals the initial compress sion under which the main cushioning'unit is assembled. As the draft gear compresses through the range marked B the compensating unit and the central cushioning unit are compressing in series. At the end of this range, the compensating follower 32 has come into contact with the cushioning follower and further action of the compensating unit ceases, the remainder of the compression of the draft gear occurring in zone C in which only the central cushioning unit operates. Thus it will be seen that this compensating draft gear in buff or draft has a threestage cushioning action as follows:

Stage A.Compensating unit operates alone.

Stage B.-Compensating unit and central cushioning unit operate together.

Stage C.Central cushioning unit operates alone.

During normal passenger train operation the pulling load on the draft gear is usually below 50,000 pounds at the head end of the train. This normal operation takes place within stages A and B, and on the diagram D represents the total range of these stages. During the starting of a heavy train, and particularly under shock condition of rough handling, the draft gear will be compressed, either in buff or pull, beyond stage B and up into stage C.

It will be understood that in both draft and buif the operation of the modifications shown in Figs. 6 and '7 and Figs. 12 and 13 is similar to the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

While I have mentioned certain figures which I believe are desirable for the initial compression of the compensating unit and cushioning unit, it should be understood that these particular values are not essential to the proper functioning of the draft gear. The various parts of this draft gear, yoke and draft gear pocket are subject to manufacturing tolerances, and certain of these variations affect the space available for the rubber pads, resulting in deviations from the particular values specified above. The essential requirement is that, under the loosest condition allowed by any combination of tolerances and variations in the rubber pads, the compensating units should be under at least sufficient compression to maintain a tight fit of the gear in the yoke, and at the same time the central cushioning unit should be under an amount of compression gerater than the compensating units. At the other extreme, the initial compression on the central cushioning unit should be less than the load required to compress either of the compensating cushioning units to the point where abutments I30 on the compensating follower contacts surfaces I32 'on' the cushioning follower I4.

It Will thus be seen that I have produced a draft gear which can be used in standard car construction and with any design of conventional draft gear yoke. It provides a soft cushion for the normal bufing and draft shocks incident to passenger train operation, eliminates the shockproducing efiects of initial compression and provides a high reserve of cushioning capacity for the occasional accidental hard impacts. My draft gear also includes convenient means for assisting assembly into the draft yoke and the car.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a main cushioning unit and a pair of spaced follower for engagement with said front and rear lugs, each of said followers comprising side walls and an end wall, a compensating cushioning unit carried by each of said followers, each of said compensating units comprising resilient pads and a follower element for engaging the adjacent end of said yoke, said element and. said side walls having openings for receiving a retaining pin to maintain said compensating unit assembled during assembly of said mechanism in said yoke, said end walls having flange means extending laterally of said side wall to allow attachment of assembly clamps for maintaining said main cushioning unit compressed to a predetermined length during assembly of said mechanism into said yoke and draft gear pocket.

2. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a main cushioning unit and a pair of spaced followers for engagement with said front and rear lugs, each of said followers being of boxlike construction open at its lug engaging end, a compensating cushioning unit received within said follower and comprising a movable follower element for engagement with the adjacent end of said yoke, said element having lateral extensions embracing said follower and being guided thereby for engagement with said stop lugs upon movement of said element away from said first named follower.

3. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a follower for engagement with the stop lugs of said pocket, said follower comprising spaced side walls having extensions for engaging said stop lugs, a movable follower element received between said spaced walls and having lateral abutments overlapping said walls for guiding and supporting said element relative to said follower, said element being adapted for engagement with an end of said yoke, and resilient means compressed between said first named follower and said element, said abutments being spaced from said lugs when said mechanism is in neutral position and being adapted to engage said stops upon expansion of said resilient means during actuation of said mechanism.

4. A cushioning mechanism for use in a draft gear yoke and between the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, comprisin a pair of followers for engagement with said lugs, a cushioning unit reacting between said followers, and a compensating cushioning unit at each end of said mechanism reacting against the yoke, each of said followers being of box-like construction for receiving one of said compensating units, said followers having extensions for engagement with said lugs, each of said compensating units comprising a follower element for contact with the adjacent abutment of the yoke and resilient means reactin between said follower element and said firstnamed follower, said element having a pair of vertically spaced lateral projections on each side thereof overlapping said extensions for guiding and supporting said element relative to said follower, said projections being spaced from said lugs when said mechanism is in neutral position and being adapted to engage said lugs upon movement of said follower element away from said firstnamed follower.

5. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, comprising a pair of spaced followers for engagement with said lugs, a cushion unit between said followers and urging said followers tightly against said lugs, a pair of compensating cushion units at the ends of said mechanism, said compensating units being adapted for tight engagement with the adjacent abutments in said yoke, said compensating units being adapted for pivotal movement in a vertical direction relative to said followers to enable vertical angling of said yoke and compensating units relative to said followers.

6. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, comprising a pair of spaced followers for engagement with said lugs, a cushion unit between said followers and urging said followers tightly against said lugs, a compensating cushioning unit at each end of said mechanism and being adapted for tight engagement with said yoke, said compensating unit being adapted for pivotal movement in a vertical direction about the transverse horizontal center line of said mechanism.

'7. A draft gear comprising a pair of spaced followers, a cushioning unit between said followers, each of said followers comprising an end wall engagin said unit and having spaced longitudinally extending walls, and another cushioning unit extending between the spaced walls of each of said followers, said last named unit being adapted for pivotal movement relative to said follower.

8. A draft gear comprising spaced followers for engagement with the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, resilient means reacting between said followers, each of said followers comprising a transverse abutment having its outer surface cylindrically curved about the transverse horizontal center line of said gear, a member having a cylindrical surface for engagement with said surface on said follower, said member being slidable cushioning unit in engagement with said follower and adapted for engagement with the yoke of a railway draft rigging, said follower and said compensating cushioning unit having arcuate engaging surfaces to enable pivotal movement of said compensating cushioning unit relative to said cushioning follower.

10. A cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of spaced followers for engagement with the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, resilient means reacting between said followers, a filler piece in engagement with each of said followers, said filler pieces and said followers having arcuate engaging surfaces to enable pivotal movement of said filler pieces relative to said followers, and resilient means for reacting between said filler pieces and the yoke of a railway draft rigging.

11. A cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of spaced followers, resilient means between said followers for opposing movement of said followers toward one another, each of said followers comprising a transverse portion one side of which engages said resilient means, the other side of said portion being arcuately curved aboutv the transverse horizontal center line of said mechanism, filler means having an arcuate surface for slidable engagement with said arcuately curved side of said follower, a follower element, and resilient means interposed between said filler means and said follower element, said follower and said follower element having opposed arcuate surfaces concentric with said first named arcuate surfaces and adapted for engagement upon movement of said follower element toward said follower.

12. A cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of spaced followers for engagement with the stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, resilient means between said followers, compensating cushioning units at each end of said mechanism, each of said units comprising a follower element for engagement with an abutment of a draft gear yoke and resilient means for opposing movement of said element toward the adjacent one of said followers, each of said followers having arcuately curved abutment surfaces, said element having arcuately curved surfaces opposing said surfaces on said followers and being adapted to engage therewith upon movement of said element toward said follower.

13. A follower member for railway cushioning mechanism, comprising a transverse abutment portion for engagement with the resilient means of said mechanism, side walls joined to said abutment portion, said walls being spaced .inwardly of the vertical edges of said abutment portion, top and bottom walls, and extensions on said side walls extending beyond the ends of said top and bottom walls and being of lesser height than said side walls, said extensions being adapted for engagement with the stop lugs of a railway draft rigging, said extensions serving to guide and support a follower element of said mechanism.

14. A follower member for railway cushioning mechanism, comprising a transverse abutment portion for engagement with the resilient means of said mechanism, said abutment portion having its outer surfaces cylindrically curved about the transverse horizontal center line of the said mechanism, and side walls joined to said abutment portion, said walls having cylindrically curved surfaces adapted to engage similar curved opposing surfaces on an associated follower element, said curved surfaces on said walls being concentric with said outer surfaces on said abutment portion.

15. In a railway draft rigging, a yoke, stop lugs, a draft gear in said yoke, said gear comprising a pair of spaced followers for engagement with said lugs, a cushioning unit between said followers and urging said. followers tightly against said lugs, and a pair of compensating cushioning units at the ends of said mechanism, said compensating units being adapted for tight engagement with the adjacent abutments in said yoke, each of said compensating units comprising a series of resilient pads-and a fol-lower element having lateral extensions overlapping portions of the first named follower, said extensions being adapted for engagement with said stop lugs upon movement of said element away from the first named follower.

16. In a railway draft rigging, stop lugs, a yoke, a draft gear in said yoke, said gear com prising a central cushioning unit held in tight engagement between said lugs, a pair of compensating cushion units at the ends of said gear and being in tight engagement with said yoke, said compensating units being adapted for-pivotal movement relative to said central cushioning unit in a vertical direction about the transverse horizontal center line of said gear, and carrier means for supporting said yoke, said carrier being mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis.

17. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a main cushioning unit for insertion between said front and rear stop lugs, said main unit comprising a pair of follower members for engaging said lugs and a series of rubber pads between said followers, each of said follower members comprising a transverse abutment wall in engagement with an end of said pads and side walls extending from said abutment wall and positioned inwardly of the outer edges of the latter to form shoulders thereon, said shoulders being adapted to be engaged by clamping means for maintaining said cushioning unit compressed between said follower members during assembly of said mechanism in the draft gear pocket.

18. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a pair of spaced followers having longitudinally extending portions for engagement with said front and rear lugs, a main cushioning unit compressed between said followers, each of said followers comprising a pair of side walls, a compensating cushioning unit carried by each of said followers, each of said compensating units comprising resilient means and a follower element for engaging the adjacent end of said yoke, said element having lateral extensions overlapping said portions of the associated one of said followers for supporting and guiding said element, said element and said side walls having openings therein for receiving retaining means to maintain said compensating unit assembled during assembly of said mechanism with-said yoke.

19. A draft gear comprising a pair of spaced followers having portions for engagement with the stop lugs of an associated draft gear pocket, resilient means compressed between said followers, a cushioning unit carried by each of said followers, said unit comprising resilient means and a follower element movable relative to the associated one of said followers for compressing said last-named resilient means, said portions and said element having openings for receiving retaining means to maintain said last-named resilient means compressed during assembly of said gear with a draft gear yoke, said followers being formed with shoulders for attachment of clamping means to maintain said first-named resilient means compressed during assembly of said gear with the draft gear yoke and between the stop lugs of the draft gear pocket.

20. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a main cushioning unit having a pair of follower members for engaging said lugs and resilient means compressible between said members, said members having shoulders at the sides thereof for attachment of clamping means to maintain said unit compressed during assembly of said mechanism with said yoke, and a compensating cushioning unit carried by each of said members, said compensating unit comprising resilient means and a yoke engaging follower element movable relative to the associated one of said follower members.

21. A cushioning mechanism for assembly with a draft gear yoke and between, the front and rear stop lugs of a draft gear pocket, said mechanism comprising a main cushioning unit having a pair of follower members for engaging said lugs and resilient means compressible between said members, and a compensating cushioning unit carried by each of said members, said compensating unit comprising resilient means and a yoke engaging follower element movable relative to the associated one of said members, each of said members comprising a pair of side walls, said element and said side walls having oppositely facing surfaces for receiving temporary retaining means in engagement therewith to hold said compensating unit under compression during assembly of said mechanism with said yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,372,109 Toburen Mar. 22, 1921 2,436,975 Pelikan et a1 Nov. 1, 1949 2,527,589 Spence et a1. Oct. 31, 1950 

